Hi my name is Don Bishop and this is my “Deal” Today... Basically, anything that interest me. Music, Computers, Software, Apps, Linux OS's - Distros, Space, Science, Auto's, Trucks, 4x4's, Motorcycles and other slightly interesting info that I find on the Web. There may, or may not be, any correlation between my Posts. Just whatever interests me at the time. I hope someone out there finds some of this interesting too!:)

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Monday, September 19, 2011

Never! Use HTTP Configuration Tool to Configure your Web Server on Port 80, if you already have Apache httpd up and running on your System!

(Sorry about the extra large images. But, you can click on one to see them all in another window and then you can click on the Thumbnails to view each image.)

Never, I repeat! Never! Use HTTP Configuration Tool to Configure your Web Server on Port 80, if you already have Apache httpd up and running on your System!!! I learned this, The Hard Way Today!:O I run my Web Site on my Home Servers on Fedora 14, Fusion 14 and the Caos Web Server Distros. I have 3 machines that I have been switching between, this Summer. Because, in TX, it has been So Darn Hot! (105 to 110 Degrees Fahrenheit all Summer)!:O Although, it we are finally having 85F to 100F degree Days Now, in September:) But, during the Summer. I just couldn't stand to even have 2 Machines running at the same time, while I work. So, I run my Caos server, at night. This is the one I have had running, without any problems for several years now. And then there are my 2 other machines that I do my daily work on, that I run all day or um when I'm awake;) These 2 machines are running Fedora 14 and Fusion 14 (the Fedora Remix). I've been Running them all Summer and Alternating between the Machine that I want to do my work on... And until now have never had any problems. I just got finished Re-Installing Fedora 14 on my Main Work Machine and vaguely remembered a cool GUI App that you could use to Setup your Servers with (HTTP Configuration Tool). Mind you, Apache was already up and running just fine on this Machine, as I installed the Web Server Packages with the OS. But, I fired up the HTTP Configuration Tool a few days ago and Re-Did my settings. Why? You ask... To make things better of course. Really, I was checking to see why my Local Domain Name (the Computers Name) was not showing up in my Router, like it usually does. I figured it was the Capital Letters I used or the dashes "-" in the Machines Name (which I discovered that, Fedoras installation App automatically took out the dashes "-" for me). Things were vague in my mind, since I hadn't done this in over a year. I ended up setting a Server Name on Ports 80 and 21 as Open to the Web Ports and for some reason did some settings in Virtual Servers too. I check my Web Site every time I switch to a different machine and I thought every thing was working just fine on all machines, as recently as Yesterday. Now, this is not that easy, from inside your own Local Network. Web Browsers, like to take the Shortest Path to the URL or IP that you give them to go to (I almost always use Firefox). This Makes sense for Web Surfing, it makes your Surfing faster. But, not so good for checking your own Web Site, to make sure it is Visible on The WWW. It's not good at all, if your Server is only Serving up your Web Site on your Local network and can't be seen on the Web. I have found some Web Sties that can Check your IP for you, on one or all Ports as well. But, that is time consuming to do. So, once I got everything up and running and Showing up on the WWW. I just went back to using my Domain name in Firefox to do my Checks. Most of the time this does work well. just don't use your local machines IP address for checking if your site is showing up on the WWW. Things were running along fine... Until last night (09-17-11). I noticed that my main machine, was not Serving my Web Site!:) It had shown up when I did the Switch earlier that day (I swear I saw it)! But, for some reason I decided to check it again. And low and behold... It was not there!:O It didn't come up when I typed in my Domain Name, Bishopco.com. Nor did it come up when I typed in my local IP Address!:O So, every day and every hour that it had not been working... My Web Site had Been Down!:(

This is how I had it Setup that Day.

Virtual Server info with SSL Setup. Which was giving some Boot Errors.

The Virtual Host I had Setup.

I had been noticing some Boot Errors Coming up for a week or so. But I didn't think that they were anything important and I just didn't want to deal with them yet. So, I had been putting off getting to the bottom of the problems. So, that's where I started... I went through each one and tried to fix them, to no avail. That was last night for a couple of hours, at 2-3 AM. So Today, I figured that I would go ahead and do some Searches on the Error Texts that were coming up. This lead me in a couple more directions. But, Still no Help.

Then I tried the process of Elimination. Which I had already tried the first night by disabling the Processes that Might Conflict with Apache httpd.

I knew that MySQL wouldn't Conflict with Apache, but I was eliminating everything...

I couldn't even remember what Jetty was or why I installed it. So, after looking it up and finding that it is a "Java Web Server Like Apache". I ended up just Un-Installing Jetty.

I found out that Hsqldb is a Helper Data Base for Open Office. So, I turned it back on and left it alone. I just Disabled the Processes that I didn't need and had Boot Errors.

I worked on this Problem from about 4PM till 11:30pm Tonight. And finally, finally! I found the Simple, Yet Disastrous Mistake that I had made! Well, I kind of Blame a GUI App that would let you Set up a Second Server on the Same Port as an Already Running Server on the Same System!:O (HTTP Configuration Tool). That's what caused all of my Problems. I had used it to... Or what I thought I was doing... Was Changing the Settings on my Apache Web Server. But, what happened was... HTTP Configuration Tool just added more settings in it's Config file, which is being read by the Apache Config file. Which caused port 80 to be Called for Twice and Cause Apache httpd to Lock up with an Error and Not Start. I couldn't even Manually Stop and Restart httpd in the Command Line!:O Now, I like HTTP Configuration Tool and have used it for years to setup my FTP and NFS File Servers, quickly and easily. But, since I always Setup and Install my Apache Web Server while I'm Installing my Fedora or which ever Distro I'm installing... I haven't had to mess with the Settings and haven't given it much thought, in the last few years. I started playing with Apache, back when I was running Windows 98 and was on a Dial-Up Connection. All I could do was install and test it. Cause I couldn't Serve any Web Sites on a Dial-Up Connection... But, since I've had High Speed Internet and since I Discovered Linux, 6 Years ago. I've been able to actually use my research on Web Servers and I like having Complete Control of my Web Sites. It is allot easier to do on your Local Machine, than trying to do everything Remotely on a Web Server Somewhere, that you may not even be able to get "root Privileges on anyway. I'm not good with typing in long Commands in the Command Line and I have trouble remembering them too. So, I do everything with GUI Apps that I can. I use Krusader to change file permissions and to transfer files. Simple things, like that, which are a royal pain in the Command Line. I do know some basic Commands though. So, I tried them out and looked up a few more. Here's how I finally figured out my Problem with Apache httpd and HTTP Configuration Tool...

Notice the line that says... "Starting httpd: (98)Address already in use: make_sock: could not bind to address [::]:80"

Eureka! That was it!:) IF only I had found this info first! Instead of going through all of that other stuff on SSLEngine Errors and all of that other stuff!:O But, I learned a Valuable Lesson and I'm writing it down now. So that I can go back and look at this, if I should ever for get and do this again...

Hrm, that looks like either something went wrong mid-upgrade for httpd or another process is already running. What's the output of:

Code:

pgrep httpd

Re: httpd - This Service Is Dead

Instead of using apachectl to restart, I would try gracefully stopping the existing httpd servers and then restarting using the "/sbin/service" utility to let the init system keep tabs on the running httpd processes:

Code:

apachectl graceful-stop && /sbin/service httpd restart

Now you can run:

Code:

/sbin/service httpd status

to ensure everything went OK.

Httpd Service Stopped

After a Night and a Day of Fixing... Httpd Service was Dead!:(

This is how I fixed my Httpd Service is Dead Problem!:) I Deleted the Server info in HTTP Configuration Tool. And I had already Un-checked the Virtual Host in the other Tab.

Httpd is Finally Running!!!:)

I'm adding some Screen Shots. If you want to see all of the other Wrong Paths I went down. Trying to Figure out this Simple Little Problem in Apache Httpd. But, I learned allot Today!;)

Don

I Edited the "/etc/httpd/conf.d/system-config-httpd.conf" file Manually Several Times, by Commenting Out the offending Entry's that were causing the Boot Errors. But this was all for Naught. Since, they weren't my actual Problem. And every time you open up HTTP Configuration Tool. These Settings will get over written, when you close the App. But, in the end, HTTP Configuration Tool was the Easiest way to make the Needed Changes.

These are some other Config Files that I found and Checked out, along the way. To do with the SSLEngine Errors. But, I did Not Bother Them. They did help me to understand some of how the Apache Httpd Setup Works.

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About Me

Hi I'm Don,
I write, sing and record songs of my own and I like doing this very much. My music is on my web site. My first album is called DonSongs and my second one is called Living Beings - Climate Control. You can Download and listen and save all our songs on my web site at DonSongs.com and it's completely free. My favorite hobby now is computers. I like to fix old Computers and make them usable again with different Linux Operating Systems or just fix up messed up WindBlows systems;). I really like researching interesting things on the Internet. I read allot about many things, Technical things on computers and the Internet, interesting discoveries in science, new technology, local and world news and just what ever strikes me as interesting. I am very handy and good with tools, fixing and making things. I like to help my friends with their projects when I can. I love Hot Rods and use to do Motor Swaps and put Big Block Chevy Motors where 6 cylinders once were. I love 4 Wheeling and Dirt Bike Riding But I don't have a motorcycle any more. I still really like 4 Wheeling in my 1976 Chevy Blazer, when I can afford the Gas and cost of Broken Parts that is...!!!:O
Don